The Fairfield Foundation has received a $180,265 grant from the Semiquincentennial Grant Program of the National Park Service for its continued work on the Timberneck House at Machicomoco State Park, Hayes.

Grants from this program are given to support preservation projects that are state-owned sites and have connections to the founding of the United States.

Fairfield Foundation Co-Director Dr. David Brown said that to be awarded this grant along with a number of other historic locations for the celebration of the found of the nation is an honor.

The grant will cover a number of things, including handicapped accessibility, septic, and ground penetration radar. He said it’s crucial that the Timberneck House be made accessible to all people. He pointed to the installation of an outdoor wheelchair lift as an example of changes that will be made.

The ground penetrating radar will be used to preserve as much of the area as possible since the site will require a new drainage field. The radar will help them identify which areas need to be preserved before any digging occurs.

Other work is on the horizon for the Fairfield Foundation at the Timberneck House. Brown said they are waiting for approval from park services to perform masonry repairs to the southern wall of the building as it is bowing out. Until then the foundation will continue performing non-intrusive restorative work and continued analysis on the site.